Trailer wheel bearing question - solved

[Fisherpete]

I just replaced the wheel bearings on my boat trailer for the first time, seemed pretty straight forward (messy though). I took her out the other day, and when I got home, I noticed that one of the new inner seals I had put in had totally blown up. What could have caused this? My only thought is that maybe I tightened the nut on that side up a bit too much, causing it to overheat and melt the seal. I did tighten it up and then back it off 1/8 of a turn before putting in the cotter pin. I only replaced and repacked the bearings with bearing grease, I did not change the bearing races, as they seemed to be in good shape. Maybe the new bearings don't match up with the old races perfectly? Any thoughts? I am heading out again tomorrow and would hate for this to happen again. It scares the crap out of me thinking it may fail on the highway.

Edited September 19, 2008 by Fisherpete

[BillM]

Two words..

 

Bearing buddies.

[bbog]

Save yourself some grief and always replace the race when changing bearings.

[Fisherman]

I just replaced the wheel bearings on my boat trailer for the first time, seemed pretty straight forward (messy though). I took her out the other day, and when I got home, I noticed that one of the new inner seals I had put in had totally blown up. What could have caused this? My only thought is that maybe I tightened the nut on that side up a bit too much, causing it to overheat and melt the seal. I did tighten it up and then back it off 1/8 of a turn before putting in the cotter pin. I only replaced and repacked the bearings with bearing grease, I did not change the bearing races, as they seemed to be in good shape. Maybe the new bearings don't match up with the old races perfectly? Any thoughts? I am heading out again tomorrow and would hate for this to happen again. It scares the crap out of me thinking it may fail on the highway.

Thou shalt never only replace the bearings, bearings shall be replaced as a set, race and bearing cage. You may have caught the rubber seal on the edge of the axle and folded it under on itself and then overheated and melted. As for bearing buddies, each to their own, I threw mine out, back to regular maintenace. Edited September 17, 2008 by Fisherman

[Billy Bob]

Fisherman has given you some great advice.

 

Bearing should ALWAYS be changed as a set with the races.

 

Bearing buddies IMHO are WAY overrated. I have never used them and have never had a bearing problem in over 25 years of towing. Of course I don't dunk my hubs in the water because I set up my trailer so they don't have to get wet.

 

Bearing buddies only address the outer bearing. No grease can reach the inner bearing without blowing out the inner seal.

 

Now what blown out your inner seals is somewhat a mystery to me. Are you sure they are the correct seals. They don't normally blow out like you have described (unlike what bearing buddies can do to the inner seal). Another problem could be that the axle has some rough spots where the inner seal in siding on. Remove the hub and clean up the axle with emery cloth should correct that problem with of course new inner seals :<(

 

As far as using them in the short run (this year) I wouldn't worry about it, but if you are dunking the hubs completely under water they will take on some H2O and that will be a problem by next year. But in the mean time have some fun fishing.

 

Bob

[glen]

Fisherman is right. You can put used bearing back into the same races they came out of. But never mix them up.

After diving a 1/2hr or so get out and put your hand on the hub to check for heat. Warm is ok. Hot is trouble.

 

Right now your bearings and seals are all cooked.

[Fisherpete]

Thanks for the advice guys. Now, how does one go about getting those races out of the hub, and the new ones in? I am guessing tap them out with a screwdriver, or is there a more civilized way (tool)? When I used to work in a bike shop, and installed headset bearings & cups, we had a press for it.

[Bernie]

Usually in the hub you will find two grooves on the inside part of the hub that will allow a small punch to access the inside of the race. tap on one side then the other until it is out. I use a proper race installer but if you have a brass or aluminum drift you can carefully tap in the race. Keep the bearings and races clean as possible. One sliver of debris can ruin the bearing instantly. Size your seal on the axle before installing in the hub. Its possible your seal may have been slightly too small and burned on the axle. Any rust on the axle seal surface should be removed. Deep pitting in this area will not keep water out and lubrication in and you will be doing bearings at least yearly.

Edited September 18, 2008 by Bernie

[Fisherman]

Okay, take the hub off the axle, make it an Army habit of laying things out left to right as you disassemble, that way you don't have a cluster of nuts & bolts(races and bearings) that don't match.

Remove all the grease from the hub and then look in, you will (or should) see two cut outs at the back inner side of each race, take a drift punch and alternately tap the race left-right-left-etc, then do the other. Degrease the inside with brake cleaner, and then apply a bit of anti seize where the races were. Take your new races put them in a plastic baggy and into the freezer for an hour. If you have access to a bench grinder, take one of the old races, take off a couple of thousands of an inch so that it will fall into the hub, great for replacing the new races or go to Princess Auto and get a bearing replacement tool, not expensive. Take the races from the freezer, one at a time, quick coat of grease and they should slide into the hub with very little effort. Make sure they are seated all the way. Get yourself some good synthetic grease, same as what the skidoo guys use on their suspensions, it's more water resistant, while wearing latex gloves, liberally coat the new bearing cages, carefully insert the rear ones first, replace the seal, make sure it goes in flat. Apply a bit of grease to the axle shaft, slide on the hub, grease the outer bearing and insert. Then replace the big nut, not more that lightly snug with a pair of channel lock pliers while rotating the hub same direction as the nut goes. Then back off the nut to the nearest cotter pin hole, not tighter. Put a plop of grease into the bearing cap and tap in. Done...remove gloves before scratching innards of personal nose. Any Q's?

Dang Bernie beat me to it. One more thing, if you haven't got the new seals yet, go to a good bearing shop and ask for the double lipped seals like part #12165 SKF or Chicago Rawhide, they fit most of the standard 1.980 size hubs.

Edited September 18, 2008 by Fisherman

[holdfast]

I worked in an trailer shop for a short spell and was taught to put alot of grease in your left palm amd with your right hand grasp your bearing with your thumb and forefinger and tap that bearing in your palm. You will see grease being forced into the bearing. Force the grease in each bearing. When you tighten the nut, there should be absolutly no resistance. When it spins no wobble. Now that you changed a bearing. ALWAYS Carry one extra set of bearings. Cheaper than calling a tow truck. For me it seems I change bearings more often than tires.

[Nanook]

quote name='glen' date='Sep 17 2008, 06:52 PM' post='250628']

Fisherman is right. You can put used bearing back into the same races they came out of. But never mix them up.

After diving a 1/2hr or so get out and put your hand on the hub to check for heat. Warm is ok. Hot is trouble.

 

Right now your bearings and seals are all cooked.

 

I bought a tent trailer this year equipt with AL - Kousa hubs and Ultrulube bearings. After # or 4 trips back to the dealer for HOT bearing problems, we finally got to the Tech.Dept of AL-Kousa. They quoted an operating temperature range of 110 - 160degs. I STILL think its hot, but, that is their specification.

Sorry if I hi-jacked this thread, but if anyone gets these Hubs/Bearings, you'll know the situation.

[Fisherman]

quote name='glen' date='Sep 17 2008, 06:52 PM' post='250628']

Fisherman is right. You can put used bearing back into the same races they came out of. But never mix them up.

After diving a 1/2hr or so get out and put your hand on the hub to check for heat. Warm is ok. Hot is trouble.

 

Right now your bearings and seals are all cooked.

I bought a tent trailer this year equipt with AL - Kousa hubs and Ultrulube bearings. After # or 4 trips back to the dealer for HOT bearing problems, we finally got to the Tech.Dept of AL-Kousa. They quoted an operating temperature range of 110 - 160degs. I STILL think its hot, but, that is their specification.

Sorry if I hi-jacked this thread, but if anyone gets these Hubs/Bearings, you'll know the situation.

Man, those things sound like terrorist bearings,(AL - Kousa hubs) break down just before you get to the boat launch and screw up your trip.

[Fisherpete]

Well, I replaced the races, and all is well so far. I put 300km on the trailer yesterday. The hubs didn't even get warm on the highway, I stopped a few times to check. I went to Cdn Tire and picked up the biggest socket they had (36mm) and it was the perfect size for tapping in the new races. Thanks again for the advice guys.

 

Did OK fishing too, I was out solo after musky and didn't even get a follow, but caught two walleye and one smallie for my efforts. The walleye was my best this year, 24.75" and thick. Pretty decent for a Kawarthas eye.

 

Big girl - let her go even though I was hankering for a fish dinner.

Smaller one (slot size on this lake)

Smallie - acrobatic fight from this guy!

[jedimaster]

Another trick I use for installing new races, is I take the old one(After I have bought the correct new one, and use my bench grinder to make it a bit smaller then just use that ground down bearing to hammer in the new one. Alot cheaper than buyng a socket I likely won't use(err I already have a 36mm but I don't wanna whack on it.

As for getting it out yah use a screw driver and bang it out just try not to wreck the hub while your doing it.

[Reef Runner]

Another happy ending in OFC! luv it!